We hope that anyone who saw, suspected or suffered this priest’s abuse will get help and report abuse to the police. It is important that people with suspected knowledge contact law enforcement officials not Catholic church officials.

We encourage the Bishop to personally, visit every parish where he worked, urging victims, witnesses, and whistleblowers to report knowledge to the police.

It is tragic and ironic that Specht was the director of “child protection” for the diocese. For many victims this only adds to the shared suffering and feeling of betrayal.